Chinese Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

Ingredients

140 g (1 1/2) cups cabbage, napa or white, shredded
2 scallions spring onions
225 g ground pork mince
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine or sherry
1/2 tsp ginger minced/finely grated
1 1/2 Tbs cilantro/coriander, or a small handful roughly chopped
1/4 tsp salt
24 dumpling wrappers
Soy sauce and sriracha for dipping or your choice of dipping sauce

Method

Finely shred the cabbage then place it in a pan with boiling water and cook a couple of minutes to blanch it/soften. Drain the cabbage and let it cool a couple minutes.

Meanwhile cut the scallions in half lengthwise and finely slice them then add them to the pork along with the remaining ingredients (except the wrappers and sauce ingredients) - soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, ginger, cilantro and salt. Mix everything so it's well combined - this is often easiest by hand. Squeeze out the cabbage either by hand or by putting it in a cloth to remove as much liquid as possible then roughly chop it a little more and add to the pork. Mix it well.

Working with a few at a time, put a spoonful of the pork mixture on one half of a dumpling wrapper so there is a gap around the edge but it otherwise fills fairly well. Dampen the edge of the wrapper then fold it in half to join in the middle around the filling. Using your thumbs, pinch/fold the side nearest you a few times as you seal along the edge from the middle to the side, then repeat on the other side.

To steam then fry - place a few dumplings in a bamboo steamer lined with paper or a cabbage leaf fairly close together over boiling water. Boil for around 3-4 minutes until going translucent. Meanwhile heat 1-2 Tbsp of oil in a skillet/frying pan then fry for a couple minutes until brown on one side.

Traditional method - heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet/frying pan and place some dumplings in there fairly close together. Cook for around 2-3 minutes until browned. I often put them one side down then turn slightly to do the 'base'. Add around 1/4 to 1/3 cup water to the pan and cover with a lid. Allow the water to steam the dumplings so they go translucent and the water evaporates. Remove lid and brown the bases again slightly so they crisp.

Serve with soy sauce with a little sriracha added, to taste, or your choice of dipping sauce.

Credits: Caroline's Cooking